


The Trickster's Journal

by The4thSnake



Category: Persona 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 17,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25534687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The4thSnake/pseuds/The4thSnake
Summary: A series of excerpts from Joker's journal over the course of his year in Tokyo. Mostly focused on Jokawakami/Sadayoker/Kawakira/Akirakami/Kawamamiya/Amamiyakami scenes, but other non-Kawakami moments are also included.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Kawakami Sadayo, Kawakami Sadayo/Kurusu Akira, Kawakami Sadayo/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 12
Kudos: 51





	1. 4/15, Friday

We infiltrated the Palace again today after Shiho Suzui tried to kill herself. It looks like Ryuji and I were right about Kamoshida's abuse of the students in his care. And he's now planning to have Ryuji and me expelled for confronting him about it. Even if he has a mental shutdown as a result of this, it's better than the alternative.  
Somehow, Ann Takamaki from my class ended up dragged into the Palace along with us. We tried to force her to leave, but she found her way back inside and was captured by Kamoshida's shadow. He tried to use her as a bargaining chip, but she found the conviction to awaken her own Persona, Carmen, and scared Shadow Kamoshida off. She was too tired to continue on, so we retreated for today.  
Morgana took a very quick liking to Ann because she's attractive. He even calls her "Lady Ann". Compared to his impatience over Ryuji and me struggling to wrap our heads around Metaverse concepts, he's been very understanding with Ann. It's more than a little frustrating.  
Once she understood what we were aiming for, Ann was quick to demand we take her with us next time. She proved she can hold her own in a fight against Kamoshida's guard, which took the form of a demon on a toilet, for some ungodly reason. Morgana also pointed out that we're lacking in manpower with only three members of our group, without her. He also said he'd protect her, like some kind of knight, and she said she'd just go in anyway if we said no. So, she's officially made us a four man band.  
She headed home first, and Morgana immediately started fawning all over her, saying what a 'kind girl' she was and how she has 'such admirable consideration for others'. He unironically said that she's captured his heart.  
I readjusted my bag harshly to force him back inside so he wouldn't hear me as I leaned in towards Ryuji and whispered my thoughts: "Oh, my God. He's a simp."  
Ryuji simply replied, "Ya think?" It's good to know that he and I are on the same page.


	2. 5/7, Saturday

Another eventful day. Our rooftop hideout was discovered by the student council president. I guess we should've seen the closing of the roof coming after Suzui's suicide attempt, but it still stings to be forced out of our meeting place by an authority figure.   
Morgana showed us another side of the Metaverse in Mementos, the Palace of the general populace, located in the Shibuya underground, for some reason. Mishima set up a website for people to send requests to the Phantom Thieves, so we followed up on one of them in Mementos as an example.   
The strangest part came when Ryuji asked how we'd be getting around such a vast tunnel network. Morgana already had that covered because he transformed into a minivan.  He said that 'cats turning into buses' is a extremely widespread cognition among the general public , but had no explanation as to why. I think it's because of that one Ghibli movie.   
I didn't care in the moment, though. I immediately turned around and began rapidly mashing on the elevator summon button. Compared to that moment, the rest of our first trip into Mementos seems utterly pedestrian.


	3. 6/6, Monday

Today was a strange one. I was on my way to meet with the others at the hideout after school, when I got this strange feeling that I was being followed. I took a longer route around Shibuya to try to get a glimpse of my pursuer. I was subtle in my attempt to spot them, and it paid off. I noticed a girl from Shujin with a magazine held right over her face, completely obscuring her vision.   
I turned back and brazenly walked directly towards her. She seemed to panic and didn't know what to do as I approached, but hunch over in fear. Peering over the magazine, I saw that it was Makoto Niijima, Shujin's student council president.   
"Um... h-hello," she stuttered, having nowhere to go and no way to explain her current predicament.   
I took the magazine from Niijima's hands, turned it the right way up, and placed it back into her hands. Her face turned a bright red and I could swear I saw steam coming from her burning cheeks.   
"G-Goodbye then!" she said before hurrying off, her face still buried in her magazine.   
I chuckled. The others got a good laugh out of it too.


	4. 6/10, Friday

I called Ms Kawakami over again tonight. Having her over proved quite fruitful. She did a little dusting in the attic, but she was slow, lethargic, as she did so. I told her to sit down on the couch with me for a while, which she hesitantly did. It's easy to see why she'd have so little energy after a full day of teaching, and then heading straight to this second job. I felt sorry for her, and wanted her to get at least a little rest before she left to see her next client.   
"I want to provide more services for you," she told me after a while, her appreciation evident in her voice. At least, until she switched to her forced 'Becky' voice to elaborate: "I'm really good at giving massages, nya! I'll massage you aaanywhere you like."   
She stared at me expectantly, but I had no idea how to respond.   
"Well?" she asked, a little impatient. "How was that?"   
"Creepy," I replied automatically.   
"I see," she said, sounding downtrodden. "The thing is, I talked to my boss about picking up more shifts, but he said that he prioritises 'younger' women."   
This made me wonder. I honestly have no idea how old Ms. Kawakami is. Looking at her frizzy hair, bags under her eyes and low energy from across the classroom, one might assume she's in her mid-thirties, but up close, she honestly looks more like she's in her late twenties. I can only assume she looks older due to stress and overwork, but I'd hardly say she looks old.   
"How rude," I said quickly, realising she was waiting for a response as I thought about it. I didn't want her to think I thought she looked old. Luckily, she seemed not to think poorly of my response.   
"Seriously! He didn't have to say that right to my face," she complained. "I mean, age has nothing to do with cleaning a room!"   
The way she was talking made me wonder if she really was as old as I'd thought, or if she just accepted that her overworking made her look older than she was.   
"And I look damn good for my age, if I do say so myself."   
She seemed quite proud as she said this. It was hard to gauge how earned such a declaration was, but I can't deny that, however old she appears, she does carry an air of both youth and maturity.   
"The girls in my neighbourhood always tell me I'm pretty," she added with pride. "And the latchkey kid who lives next door always asks me to tie up her hair. Thanks to that, I'm an expert with these pigtails now. See? So, I'm damn good for- Wait. Don't tell me I'm the only one who thinks this way."   
I wasn't really sure what it was she was rambling about, but I wasn't prepared for the sudden return of Becky.   
"Master? Would you please give me your honest opinion? I look pretty good as a maid, don't I?"   
"You need to love yourself," I told her in response. I was tempted to say she looked it, but didn't sound it, but I felt this was what she needed to hear right then.   
She seemed surprised, but pleased, to hear this. "I don't really feel like I'm worth being loved," she replied, trying to mask how concerning such a statement was with a chipper tone. "But, you're right," she said, sounding more serious and open.   
She stood up suddenly and stepped away from me. She kept facing away as she continued speaking, as if unable to meet my gaze. I almost stood up to join her, but it was clear she had something she needed to get off her chest, and I had a fairly good idea what it was.   
"You go out of your way to request me, and all I do is sit here and vent to you. What the heck am I doing? You're my student. Maybe I let my guard down because you know both sides of me. The more I come here, the more I feel like I can relax. As a maid, I'm supposed to help my master relax, but instead, I'm the one who's being helped. It'd be funny if it wasn't so sad."   
"Everyone needs someone they can rely on," I told her. "If you don't have someone like that, let me be that person."   
She kept her back to me, but looked down contemplatively. That she wasn't denying not having someone to vent to besides me told me everything I needed to know.   
"I know how you feel, Sensei. How do you think  _I_ felt when I was shipped here? My parents gave up on me as soon as I became an inconvenience and let me be sent across the province to live away from my family and friends, and that bastard Kamoshida leaked my record on my first day just because he could. Even Boss didn't much care for me when I first showed up. I was alone, with no friends and no one to listen to my frustrations."   
I let that sink in for a minute before I got to the point of this whole thing.   
"That is, except for Ryuji. He understood the social isolation I was going through, what it was like to have bad rumours follow you wherever you go. Like how he understood me, I understand your isolation. Let me be there for you, like Ryuji was for me."   
She kept her back to me, clearly taken aback by all I had to say. Some of it may have been a mistake to vocalise, given her response.   
"I did nothing to help you, and even told you you should stay away from Sakamoto-kun," she said, sounding incredibly guilty. "You shouldn't get involved with me. You'll only end up regretting it."   
I took her hand and pulled her back onto the couch next to me. She barely put up any resistance as I did so. "I'll never regret helping someone in need," I told her and meant it. "You don't know the full story behind my criminal record, do you?"   
"I... I know as much as the staff were told. That you assaulted a man in your hometown."   
"That's the story, yes, but it's grossly exaggerated. If you feel so bad about just venting to me all the time, why don't you let me vent to you a little? That should make us even, right?"   
"I... guess so."   
I explained how I'd been trying to help a woman who was being forced into a car by some drunk lech, who had fallen after I pushed him away, cutting himself and allowing him to justify an accusation of assault once the woman was coerced into corroborating his claims. Once I was done, Ms. Kawakami and I sat in silence for a while.   
"I... I had no idea," she said finally.   
"No one does. Except for my group of friends. And now, you do too."   
"A lot of things make more sense now," she said thoughtfully. It was nice to see Becky in a mode other than disingenuous sweetness, tired disinterest or self-hating depression. "Mr. Kamoshida did say that you and Sakamoto-kun confronted and threatened him. Given Sakamoto-kun's history with him, that made sense, but you doing the same always seemed odd to me, even once we knew he was the one who leaked your record. But, if you saw similar abuse of power and victimisation to that which upended your entire life, you confronting him makes total sense."   
"Just to be clear, I didn't actually threaten him."   
"I know. Sakamoto-kun told me you held him back from lashing out, actually."   
"He did?"   
"Mm-hm. Right around the time Mr. Kamoshida confessed. I guess he wanted to make sure we knew you didn't do any of the things you were accused of. I wish I could say I accepted it because I trusted in you, but I honestly just didn't care enough to bother thinking about it beyond thinking it sounded unlike you to act like Mr. Kamoshida had claimed, given how quiet and studious you are. And since Sakamoto-kun didn't actually end up striking Mr. Kamoshida, I let the whole thing slide because it would be too much hassle to deal with."   
"I don't think your reasoning matters much, as long as you didn't fall for Kamoshida's lies."   
"Honestly? I kinda did, at first. Once he confessed, everything he'd ever said about you and Sakamoto-kun came into question, but before then, I just blindly accepted all of it because he was a trusted colleague and you were a 'violent problem student'. Even if I did turn around on the whole situation eventually, I have no excuse for not giving you the benefit of the doubt from the start. I'm sorry."   
Even though she's the one who had technically wronged me, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her as she apologised for all this. "It's alright," I told her. "You've had a lot on your mind since long before I started at Shujin. What with your sister being ill and having to work a second job." Obviously, I never once believed her obvious lies about her having an ill sister, but I knew this was my chance to get the truth if I just played dumb a little longer to push her over the edge.   
"My double life as both a teacher and a maid  _has_ been exhausting," she admitted. "But that's not the real reason I've been doing this. I don't really have a sick sister. Or a sister at all, for that matter. All that stuff about fees and charges was a lie too."   
"Well, I already knew that."   
"I see. I won't ask your reasons for still requesting me, but please don't do it again. Even if I can't get requested without making up those types of stories, that's no excuse for taking advantage of your kindness like I have. I'm a terrible maid and a terrible teacher. Nothing good will come from involving yourself with a terrible person like me. Let's just put an end to this, okay? Think of this as a lesson in being more cautious with sob stories and we can call it even. Thank you for using our service."   
Unlike usual, she didn't even try to affect a chipper tone as she left. I almost went after her, but thought better of it. She probably needs some space for a couple days before I try to request her again.   
One thing I noted was that, despite her very sincere regret for lying to me to get me to request her more, she didn't offer to give the money back. She must be in a much worse situation than she's letting on. I have to request her again, since she seems more receptive to opening up in my room than she does at school. I have to figure out what's going on with her, if not for her sake, then at least for my own curiosity.


	5. 7/3, Sunday

Ryuji invited me to the fishing place down in Ichigaya. It seemed an odd activity to want to partake in on his birthday, but who was I to turn him down?  While there, we happened to bump into Ms. Kawakami. She had the most adorable white summer hat on, but was otherwise dressed about how she usually does. Ruyji and I were total amateurs, but Ms. Kawakami was an ace at fishing. She was so composed and controlled. I'd be tempted to describe her as serene if she wasn't so easy to get a rise out of.   
For example, Ryuji commented on her ability to easily snag the fish, even while she nagged about being stuck with two students on her day off. He even suggested she could "be our master fisher."   
Without taking my eyes off my own line, I told him to "Call her 'Master' Kawakami."   
I didn't need to look back to know she was blushing ear-to-ear. All she could manage in reply was to insist that we continue to call her  _Ms._ Kawakami instead. She makes messing with her so enjoyable.   
After a couple of hours, Ryuji and I got up to leave to head to the party the others planned had for him . We bade Ms. Kawakami goodbye and made our way towards the exit. About halfway there, a thought occurred to me.   
"Oh, hold on a sec," I told Ryuji. "I need to ask Kawakami something." Our tutoring excuse for Ms. Chouno has become the one I use to excuse spending time with her to my friends as well.   
"Huh? Sure. I'll hold onta Mona for ya."   
"Thanks." I handed him my bag and jogged back to where we'd been sat. The teacher had an aura that made it clear she was annoyed I was taking up more of her free time, but she forced a smile so I wouldn't be scared away from requesting her again.   
"You need something else?" she asked through grit teeth.   
"Just a quick question: How was it?"   
"Hm? How was what?" She eyed me suspiciously and I leaned in to whisper into her ear.   
"Being the one that's being called 'Master' for once."   
Kawakami's face turned a shade of red that reminded me of Ann's Panther outfit.  She chased me off with her hat, which made for a surprisingly effective weapon in her hand.


	6. 7/8, Friday

"I actually really like the antique feel of this room," Becky said as she entered my room earlier tonight. We both knew that she was stalling for time before she said what she felt she needed to say. As our eyes met, I could sense that she knew I could see right through her, so she cut to the chase. "But I have to say goodbye to it today."   
I tilted my head at this.   
"I've decided to quit!" she said with an almost convincing amount of glee. "My boss found me a part-time job that pays better than this one."   
I sat stone-faced, making my inability to believe such a thing quite explicit. She had to avert her eyes as she explained that the Takases are still increasing their demands, even after Ms. Kawakami collapsed and was hospitalised from overworking to keep up with their demands. I don't even need to know how much money they're demanding to know how absurd an amount it is.   
"This is just what I have to do," she said with a sigh.   
"I despise that defeatist attitude," I muttered.   
"Huh? What was that?"   
I jumped to my feet. "I hate when people think there's nothing they can do about their situation and just give up."   
"What am I supposed to do then!?" she snapped defensively. She averted her gaze and softly asked, "What's the right decision?" If it was guilt for snapping at me, or just the gravity of her situation that so quickly extinguished her fire, I'm not sure. "Takase-kun's guardians say the only way to properly apologise to Takase-kun is by paying them. If that's not true, then what's the right thing to do here?"   
I said nothing since, despite my chastising her for giving up like this, I didn't have any solutions to offer her.   
"I wonder if I can escape all this if I quit being a teacher," she pondered. "People like me have no right being a teacher. If I quit on my own, I won't have to pay them-"   
I'd heard enough. "Sit down."   
"What?"   
I checked my watch. "For the next fifty-five minutes, I'm still your master and you will obey me. Now, sit."   
She looked oddly conflicted about my command, but she ultimately acquiesced.   
"Ms. Kawakami," I said in as stern and commanding a tone as I could, knowing that she tended to respond more agreeably to that, thanks to her many, many hours spent as a maid. "I want you to talk to me here. Sometimes, just having someone to listen to you can help you lay everything out and reach your own conclusion. So, I want you to answer one simple question: Why was it that you wanted to continue teaching, even after what happened with Takase-kun?"   
"I... Well... I wanted to make sure my students always had someone to turn to, no matter what hardships they were going through. I never wanted them to feel like they'd run out of options in life. I didn't want there to be another Takase-kun. I guess... I guess I lost sight of that once I found myself in that same situation I wanted to protect my students from."   
"And how are you supposed to do that if you can't find the strength of will to escape it yourself?"   
"I... No, you're right. You're absolutely right. What the hell have I been doing all this time? I've been so concerned with making things right with Takase-kun that I neglected my other students. I should've been listening to their worries and needs instead of ignoring them to pay back the Takases. And how is that supposed to make things right with Takase-kun? I really am hopeless, aren't I?"   
"It's not too late to put things right."   
"Yeah. Yeah! I still have a chance to do right by my students. We're only a few months into the school year. I have plenty of time to make up for ignoring them until now. I'll tell the Takases that I won't pay them anymore. The only way to make things right with Takase-kun is to make sure my students have the guidance I was too afraid to give to him, not by making his neglectful relatives richer."   
She locked eyes with me and smiled the most genuine smile she's given yet. I was caught off-guard by how beautiful it was, especially in light of how creepy her fake smiles as Becky are. She took my hand and pulled me down onto the couch next to her.   
"Thanks for helping me remember why it is that I chose to do this in the first place." She wrapped her arms around me in a grateful hug. I won't deny that feeling a warm embrace like this for the first time since before the allegations really got to me. She must have felt my tears on her arm because she asked me if I was crying.   
I shook my head.   
"Dummy," she said in an almost motherly tone. "You don't have to pretend around me. You let me be honest around you. I like to think you know you can be honest around me as well."   
I nodded my head.   
She hugged me tighter.


	7. 7/16, Saturday

With exams finally over, Ms. Kawakami called me into the guidance office. She seemed excited at the news she had. She said she'd told the Takases that she wouldn't be paying them another penny and that she was going to quit her maid job. I was ecstatic at the news. Then, the Takases themselves showed up. They refused to accept her refusal to pay and tricked her into implying her other job was as a sex worker, which they threatened to take to the faculty office. With no other choice, the deflated Kawakami agreed to continue paying.   
It was heartbreaking to watch all that happiness and passion just drain out of her because of those two's unreasonable demands. I wanted to beat the crap out of them, but I knew that would only make the situation worse for both of us. Instead, I turned with her and tried to keep her from falling back into depression.   
"You can't give up now! After all that conviction you spoke with last week, you can't just let Taiki and his bitch wife push you around like this!"   
In truth, I wasn't really trying to convince her anymore. They'd backed her into a corner that would be difficult for anyone to get out of. In truth, I was manipulating her too. I was using my urging as a smokescreen, an excuse to bring up the Takases as individuals and using their relative's given name to agitate her, hoping she might angrily correct me without thinking, unintentionally providing me with everything I needed to finally put an end to this.   
And it worked. "Toshio and Hiromi!" she snapped. "Taiki is my student who died, you idiot." I had what I needed, but seeing the instant guilt with which she quickly apologised for her outburst sucked all of the triumph out of the moment.   
"No, I'm sorry," I said. "I wasn't thinking when I said that." If nothing else, my genuine sorrow at agitating her and then lying about it helped paint my lie as more honest than it was.   
"I know. Those two just always know how to... Anyway, you should get back to class. I'd better not hear from the other teachers that you were late, understand?" The threatening tone in which she addressed me was one I hadn't heard since she'd insisted that she didn't owe me one for helping cover for her with Ms. Chouno. All I could do was nod and leave the room.   
I feel awful for leaving Ms. Kawakami on her own after what had just happened, but I've found some solace in the knowledge that I now have everything I needed to make sure she never feels like this again.   
  
We went into Mementos to tackle the Kawakami request today. I made sure to arrange a Mementos trip as soon as I was out of the room. The others weren't too happy with the idea of going in right after exams, but my proposal that it would help us blow off steam and that the happiness we could provide to people would make us feel better seemed to turn them all around on the idea. I could have waited until tomorrow, when we'll have the full day, but I want to make sure Ms. Kawakami doesn't have the chance to do something she'll regret later.   
As usual, we tracked down the shadows of our targets, Toshio and Hiromi Takase, and approached them. While the others kept their distance, as is standard operating procedure for us, I found my pure hatred for the two leading me to walk right up to Toshio and punch him in the face while demanding he reveal his true form already, to get this over with sooner. The looks on my friends' shocked faces were comical.   
After the battle, the two reverted to their human forms, like usual. Unlike usual, I took my gun and thrust it into Toshio's mouth.   
"Here's what's going to happen, Mr. Takase," I told him, affecting an threatening tone that I'm not entirely sure was intentionally put on. "You two are going to return to your real selves and change your ways. You're going to release Sadayo Kawakami from her debt, you're going to apologise, and then you're going to live humbly until you've worked to pay back every goddamn yen you extorted from her, or you die. Is that clear?"   
Toshio gave a fearful response that was impossible to parse though the gun barrel threatening to choke him, but his rigorous nodding made it clear his response was an affirmation. Hiromi gave a clearer affirmation as I glared at her afterwards. I then released Toshio and sent the two on their way before heading back to the bus. The ride back was awkward, no one wanting to talk about my unusual actions. Eventually, Makoto did speak up about it.   
"Are you alright, Joker? I've never seen you act so..."   
"Pissed off?" Ann suggested.   
"Aggrieved?" Yusuke proposed.   
"Yes, those two things." Makoto agreed.   
"I have," Ryuji noted. "Back when Mona was first explainin' about the change of heart stuff. Even before we knew if it was safe, Joker was pretty set on changin' Kamoshida's heart, especially after what happened with Suzui."   
"Is that true?" Makoto asked.   
I nodded in affirmation.   
"Given your personal grudge against Kamoshida, a similarly resentful outburst must mean this is more than just another target for you. This Takase job was personal, wasn't it?"   
I chuckled. "That's our Queen. Nothing gets past you, huh? Yeah, I was there when the Takases confronted Ms. Kawakami about the payment being late,  _while she was in hospital from collapsing while trying to work for that payment_ . I would've socked that son of a bitch in the real world if I wasn't worried about how the blowback might make things worse for her. But the smug way they just barged into her hospital room and the school to make more and more unreasonable demands, abusing their power over someone they knew couldn't fight back..."   
I didn't need to elaborate any further. That's the connecting thread between the whole team: our rising above our victimhood at the hands of corrupt adults and fighting back against the rotten system they benefited from. Between Kamoshida, Madarame, Kaneshiro, that guy who pressed charges against me, we all understood what Ms. Kawakami was going through on  _some_ level, even if the others didn't have most of the details.   
"I see," Makoto responded awkwardly after a pregnant pause. "I'm sorry if-"   
"No, it's okay," I interrupted, not wanting her to feel bad for asking a simple question. "If we couldn't relate to the people we're helping, we probably wouldn't be doing it in the first place. If anything, I'm glad you guys were here with me. If I was alone, I don't know if I'd have stopped at just the change of heart."   
Again, an awkward silence fell over the group. This time, the silence was broken by Ryuji.   
"Nah. I don't think you'da gone further'n that. Even with all the shit Kamoshida pulled, even with how pissed we both were over what he did to Suzui and the threats he made to us two personally, you still kept a cool head while I was gonna sock 'im one again. That's why you're our leader, after all. Not because you were the first to get your persona; because when the rest of us need direction, you're always there to provide it. You'd prolly've still beat the crap outta those two dirtbags, like anyone would, but you're responsible enough that you'd think about how them dyin' might affect you 'n' Kawakami an' stop yourself before you did any real world damage. You guys think so too, right?"   
The others all voiced their agreement. I chuckled again.   
"Thanks, guys. I don't know where I'd be without you all."


	8. 7/17, Sunday

I received a welcome surprise today. Ms. Kawakami sent me a text after school, asking if it was okay for her to come and see me at Leblanc. I've never replied to a text so quickly in my life.   
She still came over in her maid uniform so as not to be recognised. I can't deny feeling a little disappoint that she didn't come to deliver her 'big news' as herself instead of Becky, but I figured I might never see her as Becky again, and decided to let it slide.   
Her 'big news' was that the Takases called her this afternoon to apologise. They've stopped asking for money, and in fact, intend to pay her back every penny. It really makes my uncharacteristic threats against their shadows seem worth it.   
"That's amazing," I said, doing my best to feign surprise.   
"Right?" she beamed. "And since I don't have to pay them anymore, I've officially quit my maid job. This will be our last appointment as master and maid."   
"That sucks," I replied, crossing my arms, only mostly joking.   
"Awww, that's sweet," she said with a bright smile. "But you'll just have to settle for seeing me in class."   
"As long as you bring this sunny disposition to school with you."   
She laughed at that. "Oh, you bet I will! From this day forward, I'm going to be the kind of teacher I always wanted to be!"   
"That's great."   
"Yeah. But, one thing's been bugging me about this whole thing. I didn't talk about the Takases anywhere. The only other person who knew about it was you. And after I accidentally told you their names, they had a sudden change of heart. And when I checked that Phan-Site thing, I didn't see any posts relating to it, aside from the Takases themselves posting their apology. So, how did you tell the Phantom Thieves about them?"   
I honestly hadn't expected her to look any deeper into the matter beyond that it was resolved. I was caught off-guard and my reaction gave me away.   
"I knew it," she said with a mix of pride in her ability to deduce the truth, and some concern, likely out of worry for whatever it was she assumed the Phantom Thieves' methods were. "You  _are_ one of the Phantom Thieves."   
I considered lying about it, but she had been so open and honest with me about this whole thing, sick sister notwithstanding. So, instead, I nodded. "Their leader, actually."   
"Sounds about right. Am I correct in assuming that Takamaki-san and Sakamoto-kun are members as well?"   
"I'm not at liberty to say."   
"But you're not denying it."   
She had me dead-to-rights.   
"I suppose it doesn't matter," she said, much to my relief. "All that matters is that you did whatever it is you do and changed the Takases. I appreciate you doing that, obviously."   
"But?"   
"I don't know, it just seems so sinister. That you can take an utterly reprehensible person like Kamoshida or the Takases and change them so much as to basically be an entirely different person. It's like brainwashing."   
"It's not!" I was quick to assure her. I've thought about this viewpoint a lot myself, so I knew just how to explain how it was different. "It's like their hearts were closed off from guilt for their actions. They couldn't see things from the perspective of their victims. We just open their hearts up to that viewpoint, to feel that guilt they should have felt from the beginning. I guess it comes on so suddenly that they feel overwhelmed, making them desperate to make amends with more than just an apology."   
"Like how Kamoshida offered to kill himself."   
"Right. Luckily, none of the people who's hearts we've changed have gone that far yet. They've all just tried to make amends through their lives, instead of their deaths."   
"But one of them could in the future."   
"I... suppose. We'd try to stop that, though."   
"That's probably still a better outcome than letting them keep victimising people." I wonder if Ms. Kawakami will still hold that viewpoint once her own victimisation is less fresh in her mind. "B-But definitely try to avoid that, okay?"   
"Of course."   
After a moment of silence, she asked in an awkward tone, "Would you have ever changed my heart? I imagine with how dismissive I was of you for those first few months-"   
"I considered it," I admitted.   
"I see." She sounded quite concerned as she replied, so I quickly elaborated.   
"I considered changing your heart to give you a more positive outlook on yourself. To help you appreciate how much value you have as a teacher, as a maid and as a person."   
"I see." This time, she sounded more embarrassed than anything, which seemed like a positive step.   
"But, there was no need to do that now. You turned yourself around under your own power, without the Phantom Thieves stepping in. And considering how low you were at some points, all I can say is that you're amazing, Ms. Kawkami."   
"No. I was only able to change because you were there, guiding me every step of the way. In a way, I suppose you were my teacher. The kind of teacher I've always aspired to be: patient, understanding, empathetic, and always ready to put your neck out for those in your care.  _You're_ the one who's amazing."   
"Heh." I scratched my nose in embarrassment.   
"All that being said, though, you're also an idiot."   
"What? Why?"   
"You went out of your way to help me with the Takases, with no regard for your own situation. Do you have any idea how much trouble you'd have been in if the Takases had reported you? Just what kind of an idiot are you?"   
"The kind of idiot who falls in love with his teacher," I retorted without properly thinking through my response. Somehow, though, letting it out like that just felt right.   
Ms. Kawakami froze. Admittedly, I can understand why. I know what it's like to have those taboo feelings, so I imagine it's similar to having someone confess to having those feelings for you. And she, as the adult here, has more pressure and responsibility on her to respond appropriately. I probably shouldn't have said it, since it puts her in an unenviable position. But, after what she said about me being her ideal teacher and then providing me the perfect setup, I just couldn't help myself.   
I'm not really sure what I expected from her at this point. Maybe for her to say she was flattered and gently let me down, or to agree that I am, in fact, an idiot. Instead, she stared at me, her face slowly growing more and more red.   
"I... I have to go." Without another word, she turned and left the cafe. I'm really starting to think that admitting it all was a mis   
She just texted me, saying that she's sorry for leaving so abruptly, but she needs time to figure out how to properly respond to me. I know code for "I need to find the right way to let you down without hurting you" when I see it.   
Even without her saying as much, I know I'm an idiot.


	9. 7/19, Tuesday

After two days of awkward glances in class, Ms. Kawakami finally messaged me today after school, asking if she could come over. I said yes, of course. I'd rather get this rejection over with as soon as possible. She came over in her normal clothes this time. I guess it'd be weird if she came over in her maid costume, given the circumstances.   
It was obvious she was as nervous about the conversation to come as I was. She began by casually (as best she could) mentioning how it felt weird to be up in the attic in her normal clothes. She told me that she was finally done with her maid job and that she'd been giving other students advice since then. Finally, she addressed the elephant in the room and said she was sorry.   
"I really thought it through, though, you know?"   
She looked and sounded sincere as she said this. I know her tells by now.   
"I was so happy. When you shared your feelings the other day, I finally realised how I felt."   
Honestly, it had never occurred to me that she might actually feel the same way. I'd hoped for a moment as I'd confessed, but given her reaction, I'd then assumed she felt nothing of the sort. It was like a hand that had been gripping my heart since then had finally let go as she said this.   
"But... I'm a teacher, and you're my student."   
I was tempted to say that it didn't matter, that the only thing that mattered was that I loved her and she loved me. Instead, I said nothing. Realistically, there really was no chance this could go anywhere, as she was quick to make plainly evident.   
"You're in a tricky situation as it is. It we get caught, suspension would be just the beginning. I'm restraining myself because you're so special to me."   
Knowing that she was putting her own happiness aside so as to avoid making my situation any worse only made me love her more. Again, I wanted to speak, to reassure her that we'd avoid getting caught, but again, I knew better. Instead, I sat there in silence, hating that I had no choice but to accept society's standards for who I am and am not allowed to be with.   
Ms. Kawakami let out a frustrated cry that made me jump. "Why are you so okay with this? Aren't you Phantom Thieves all about standing up and rejecting what society thinks and following your own morals? You stood up to Kamoshida and Madarame and that yakuza, but you won't even fight to be with the woman you love!?"   
I was on my feet in a second, which made her jump like her outburst had made me jump. "You're right," I told her with as determined a gaze as I could manage. I'm not sure what exactly she'd come here for - to break it off or to use my presumed insistence as an excuse to move forward with our relationship - but she succeeded in rekindling my rebellious spirit. "You're absolutely right. To hell with society. After everything this corrupt system has put my through, why the hell should I let it dictate who I can and can't be with. I love Sadayo Kawakami and I will not be told that our love is wrong or something to be ashamed of!"   
Her face was bright red now. "You... You really mean that?"   
"I do," I said with conviction. "I love you, Ms. Kawakami. And I won't ever let anyone tell me I shouldn't."   
She smiled and averted her gaze. "God, now I feel dumb for trying to back away," she mumbled. "I had every intention of saying goodbye to you. I  _should_ say goodbye to you. But..."   
"Your rebellious spirit won't let you," I suggested.   
She nodded. "I'm beginning to think my former master has been a bad influence on me," she said softly, intimately.   
"And my former maid has been nothing but a good influence on me," I replied, just as softly. I cupped her chin with one hand and pulled her in for a kiss with the other. As our lips touched, I began to worry that I might have made a mistake like last time, but she positively melted into my embrace. As I pulled away, I couldn't help but find the sight of her eyes closed and her lips lingering on the kiss for a moment incredibly beautiful.   
"Wow," she giggled with a big, goofy grin. "That was wonderful, Ma-" She cut herself off and giggled again. "I almost said it again. I need to stop doing that. If I keep calling you 'Master', you're definitely going to develop a thing for it."   
"You've already awoken something deep inside me."   
"F-For real?"   
"And I bet I've awoken something deep inside you as well."   
Sadayo remained silent for a while.   
"Sometimes, I wish I was a Phantom Thief, so I could give you a change of heart so you'd be less of a smartass."   
"And what would your codename be? 'Sensei'? 'Madam'? 'Becky'?"   
"Ha-ha," she said sarcastically. "Still, I guess I'd take one of those if it meant finding out how you guys do what you do."   
She already knew I was a Phantom Thief by now. Hell, she probably knew the entire team, aside from Morgana, so I saw no reason to keep our methods a secret. She probably wouldn't believe me anyway.   
I told her everything, short of the specific members. It's not my place to share that information without their consent. Somehow, even with the bizarre story about a cognitive world and shadows and personas, she seemed quite receptive to the ideas I was presenting to her.   
"Distorted desires, huh?" Ms. Kawakami pondered once I was done. "If things had carried on as they were, would I have had a palace as well?"   
"I'm sure I would've stolen your heart either way."   
"You really are too much sometimes, you know that," she said, sounding unamused, but I could tell it was a front.   
"Maybe. But your life would be a lot less fun if you'd never met me, huh?"   
"Mmm, that's true. Even putting our feelings for each other aside, I'd still be in that dark place under the thumb of the Takases if not for you. Again, thank you for that, Master."   
"I'm glad I could turn you from  _Sad_ ayo to  _Kawaii_ kami." I've never seen a more disgusted expression on her face than I did in that moment.   
"I take it all back," she said.   
"No, you don't," I replied confidently.   
"No, I don't," she confirmed, with a sigh and a smile.   
We didn't speak for a while after that, but we didn't need to. We simply basked in each other's company until she said it was getting late and that we both have to be up for school tomorrow. It's gonna be the start of a whole new chapter of our lives. I can't wait.


	10. 8/29, Monday

During the beach trip, the girls went off to ride a banana boat. With little else to do, Ryuji suggested us boys go cruising for chicks. You can guess the results. What you can't guess is who we bumped into while we were out there. After those gay guys Ryuji had a run-in with in the red light district made a surprise appearance, so did Ms. Kawakami.  
I think the beach was the last place I expected to meet her, and seeing her in her swimsuit was an unexpected treat. I couldn't help but feel slightly protective of her as Ryuji leered at her incredible body. Yusuke... well, Yusuke's not a problem with his... unique perspective on life.  
At the very least, she seemed as surprised to see us as we were to see her when she asked what we were doing there.  
Pretending I hadn't already told her we were taking a beach trip today, I explained that we were here with our friends.  
"And Takamaki-san and the other girls ditched you, huh?"  
"Huh? Are you psychic?" Ryuji asked in unnecessary astonishment. "Is that how you caught those fish so easily?"  
"Fish?" Yusuke asked, his interest piqued.  
"Yeah, dude. Kawakami's like a master at fishing."  
"Once again, that's _Ms._ Kawakami," she replied, annoyed. "Anyway, no, I'm not psychic. I've just been to the beach with friends before, so I know about the gender divide."  
"Damn. So, this is a normal thing?" Ryuji moped.  
"Pretty much. So, what are you boys up to to pass the time?"  
"We were stealing the hearts of women," Yusuke admitted casually.  
"Dude!" Ryuji, it seemed, would rather have not said as much out loud.  
Kawakami chuckled. "Stealing hearts? What are you guys, Phantom Thieves?"  
"N-No."  
Kawakami sighed and turned to me. "Is he always this bad at lying?"

"Pretty much," I conceded.  
"Dude!"  
"Relax, she already knows."  
"For real!?"  
"Her problems worked out too conveniently for her not to figure it out."  
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna tell anyone," she reassured Ryuji. "You guys really helped me out last month. Thank you. And pass on my thanks to Takamaki-san and the others."  
"Will do," I promised.  
"Damn, are we really that obvious?" Ryuji pondered.  
"It would seem that way," Yusuke said, concerned.  
"But to think, the legendary Phantom Thieves are out here cruising for chicks..." Kawakami burst out laughing at the thought. She really has a beautiful smile.  
"Geez, Teach. You could at least try to not look so pleased about that."  
"Sorry about that, Sakamoto-kun. It's just... somehow, this is the exact kind of thing I'd expect you guys to be up to."  
"I don't know how I should feel about that..."  
"It means she's a good teacher who understands her students."  
Kawakami blushed. "Alright, you boys run along before Takamaki-san and the others think you're out here trying to hook up with your teacher." I winked at her, which seemed to go unnoticed by the other two.  
I told them to go on ahead because I had something to ask Kawakami. Once they were out of earshot, I asked, "What are _you_ doing here?"  
"Well, you said you were going to the beach with some friends, so I figured I'd head to the beach myself. I didn't expect we'd end up at the same one though. Or that we'd run into each other on a beach this crowded. Crazy coincidence, huh?"

"Or maybe we're just bound by fate."  
"Not here!" she squirmed. "What if someone sees us?"  
"They won't. We've been using the Shibuya overpass as a hideout for months and no one's noticed us yet."  
"What? Are people really that oblivious?"  
"I was just as surprised as you. It's crazy how people's cognition works."  
"I see. But I have a question to ask you as well."  
"Shoot."  
"Out cruising for chicks with your friends, huh? Even after we officially became a couple."  
"Would you rather I tell Ryuji I couldn't because I've already got a girlfriend? He'd never leave me alone until I told him who."  
"Hmm, true. Okay, I'll let you off this time, but you owe me one."  
"I'll definitely make it up to you next time you come over."  
"I can't wait." God, she sounded so sexy when she whispered that. "Now, go have fun with your friends. Enjoy your youth while you still have it."  
"You say that like you've not still-"  
"No, no, stop. I know what you're going to say and I know you're trying to get me all flustered out in public. No. Leave."  
"You're learning."  
"Go!"

At the end of the day, Futaba officially joined the team. We settled on her codename on the beach. There were a few ideas thrown out like 'Hacker', 'PC' and 'Goggles', but she hated all of them. She decided to go with 'Oracle'.   
"With my vision, I'll guide you all to victory," she declared.   
"I'd'a gone with 'Navi'," said Ryuji.   
"No way! That guy's super annoying!" she retorted.   
Something about that name being used by an orange-haired hacker girl with glasses bugged me and it took me a minute to I realise why. "Oracle, huh?" I asked.   
"Oracle," she confirmed.   
"From Batman?"   
"I don't wanna hear that from you,  _Joker_ ."   
"Didn't Joker shoot Oracle?" Makoto asked absentmindedly.   
Futaba shrank away behind Ann the way she hid behind me when she first joined us in Leblanc.


	11. 9/5, Monday

Futaba came into the cafe while I was working the evening shift with Sojiro. She showed Sojiro some dirt she dug up on her uncle. He's apparently heavily in debt, so it's doubtful he'll be able to actually win custody if he tries. Sojiro pointed out that this illegally-obtained information can't be used in court. He seemed confident that her uncle can't possibly get custody, but also angry about Futaba's methods.   
Really, though, he was angry with himself. He voiced concern that he hadn't been there to help her through her trauma and that she might well be better off with someone else. She misinterpreted this as him not wanting her around and ran up to the attic in tears.   
I went up after her. She felt bad for what she said to Sojiro and seemed to worry she was a burden to him. She clearly sees him as a father and doesn't want to lose him too. He's all she has left from her old life, after all.   
Sojiro came up soon after and made clear his desire for her to stay with him. I enjoy seeing him drop the facade of the unflappable ladies' man or the hardass bossman and just be frank with his feelings. As for Futaba, I don't think I've ever seen her so elated as she was in that moment. She laughed about it sounding like a proposal and thanked him for taking her in. It's cute that neither one thinks they're good enough for the other.   
Seeing this heartwarming father-daughter moment, I decided to give the two some space and quietly slip away downstairs. Naturally, my thief-like departure was hampered by the rickety old stairs creaking under my feet and alerting the other two to my presence.  
"And where are you sneaking off to?" Sojiro asked slyly. "You're part of this too, you know."  
"Yeah, you tell 'im, Sojiro!" Futaba agreed enthusiastically. She held out a hand for me to join them. Shaking my head and smiling, I returned to this hopeless duo and joined them in their hug.


	12. 10/11, Tuesday

After school, we all met up on the school roof to help Haru with her flowers. Ryuji proposed we have a party to celebrate our victory over Okumura and to formally welcome Haru into the group. As it happened, there'd been an Okumura Foods company party booked at Destinyland for today that was called off because of the scandals. As such, Haru arranged for us to use the time slot, since it had already been paid for. We had the entire park to ourselves, just the eight of us.   
The food was great and the fireworks and light show were magical. I'd love to bring Ms. Kawakami there someday. The parade wasn't available due to the reduced staff count, so that would be nice to see with her.   
Haru voiced concern about how her joining us and helping to take down her father had gone a little too smoothly. It turned out, she was right to be concerned, as Okumura's press conference began soon after. We all pulled out our phones to watch. As expected, he apologised profusely and sincerely for the state of his workforce and confirmed that he knew the identity of the culprit behind the mental shutdowns.   
And then, his eyes rolled back until only white was visible, contrasted by the inky black substance that poured out of his eyes, nose and mouth. I'd seen it described in news reports about other cases, but actually seeing it myself was something else entirely. Then, I realised that Haru was watching it. I tried to cover her screen as soon as I realised what was happening, but I was already too late to stop her from seeing her father's mental shutdown, even before I thought to act. A frantic panic overcame the group as we tried to figure out just what the hell we did wrong, but we never did come up with an answer. As far as we can tell, we followed all the same steps we did every previous time.   
Haru stepped away to call home and Futaba started crying, saying that it was just like what had happened when her mother died. I wrapped my arms around her while we continued to try and figure out what went wrong.   
Haru left soon after. I sent Morgana to go with her. Makoto suggested the rest of us return home too. As we were about to leave, I got a call from Ms. Kawakami. I had to hand Futaba off to Ann while I answered the call in private.   
"You saw that, right?" came my teacher's frantic voice the second I picked up. "The press conference with Okumura, I mean. Is that what a mental shutdown looks like?"   
It took me a minute to get her to calm down. "Yes, that was a mental shutdown. But we didn't cause it! At least... I don't think we did. We followed all the usual steps. I have no idea what went wrong this time."   
"I'm sure this isn't your fault. Not that that means much coming from someone who doesn't really get how this whole thing works."   
"I appreciate your faith in me, but would it be alright if I called you back later? I'm sorry if that sounds rude."   
"No, you're right. Now isn't the time for this. Okumura's daughter is part of your group, right? You should be comforting her right now, not justifying yourself to me."   
"Yeah. I'll explain everything once we figure this out. I promise."   
"I know. I remember when my own father died. If I wasn't around my mother, I'd get this horribly sickening and crushing feeling in the pit of my stomach, like my own life was over as well. If Okumura-san is anything like me, she'll need you guys to be there for her, given that her mother is out of the picture as well."   
"You're right. She's gone home, but I'll be sure to call tonight to check up on her."   
"That's good to hear. She's lucky to have a friend like you."   
Hearing that made me feel awful, since we're still not sure if our actions caused Haru's dad's shutdown. All I could do after hanging up was get Futaba home and wait with her until Boss closed the cafe. And until Haru picks up, there's nothing I can do for her.   
Some friend I am.


	13. 12/10, Saturday

Even with everything that was going on, we still found time to deal with Mementos targets. This one was probably the toughest one yet. Fighting the Magarios with only Futaba for backup was one thing, but Hikaru Arihara was something else entirely.  
Arihara ended up on our radar because he was manipulating women and discarding them when he was done with them. It brought to mind both the way Eiko would likely have ended up if Makoto and I hadn't exposed her host boyfriend, and more to the point, the way Kamoshida viewed and treated the girls like Ann and Suzui. In fact, it was Ann who first heard about it and brought it to our attention. Given her history, the rest of us empathetically agreed to take on the target without hesitation.  
When we confronted his shadow, Ann was quick to chastise him for his treatment of those women. She got chills when he asked her 'very politely' not to speak to him that way. It was easy to see how he was able to weasel his way into women's hearts and manipulate them.  
What wasn't so easy to see was how this ability was amplified by the cognitive world. It seems that, even without a palace, a shadow's domain is still influenced somewhat by the person's cognition. As such, once he transformed into a Tam Lin, he cast some sort of charm spell on us. Morgana, Ryuji, Yusuke and I were unaffected, but the girls were all instantly smitten. They were quick to leave the battle lines and fawn all over him, pledging their love and devotion to him.  
The image was sickening for two reasons. The first was that it brought to mind the image of Kamoshida's cognitive version of Ann - clingy and lovingly doing whatever he said - which then brought the image of his cognitive Suzui, who was much the same, even after what the bastard had led her to do. Second, it made me imagine Kawakami being charmed like the others, and I worried what I might do to Arihara if he'd ever manipulated her.  
We didn't hear from Futaba during the battle, so I can only assume she was affected as well, but locked herself out of Prometheus' controls to keep herself from harming us boys.  
Arihara 'very politely' asked she girls to deal with the rest of us and they gleefully agreed to do so. Ann targeted Morgana first, likely knowing, even in this altered state of mind, that he wouldn't be able to fight back against his 'Lady Ann'. Ryuji noticed this too and put himself between the two. Morgana helped me deal with Makoto instead, knowing our aikido fighter would put up the toughest fight, leaving Haru, whom Morgana would also struggle to fight, to Yusuke.  
It was one of our toughest fights so far, and not just because of our reduced numbers. Having to fight our charmed friends was an entirely different experience from fighting shadows, since none of us wanted to hurt our friends, while the girls were all too happy to hurt us. Haru was the most dangerous, by virtue of using a bladed weapon that she had no real training with, swinging it with abandon.  
The tide turned thanks to Ryuji. I guess being her oldest friend aside from Suzui was beneficial. Either that, or it was all the manga he consumed that gave him the idea. He urged Ann to remember Kamoshida and Suzui. It was a smart play, given how terrifying Ann had been when dealing with Kamoshida's shadow and how heartbroken she'd been over Suzui's suicide attempt, appealing to her real emotions was a sound strategy. Especially with the parallels between that whole affair and this one.  
And it worked. Ann, with some struggle, managed to snap herself out of Arihara's power. He tried to reapply his charms on her, which seemed to almost work, but she was too fired up to falter now. While the rest of us kept the other girls busy, Ann and Ryuji beat the crap out of Arihara. He called on Makoto and Haru to heal him, but we were able to keep them busy long enough for Ann and Ryuji to beat him into submission.  
Once he reverted to his human form, his spell over the girls wore off. It was clearly tearing them apart that they'd fallen into his web and fought the rest of us. Morgana was finally able to approach the crying Haru and comfort her. I held the also crying Futaba, while Makoto was reassured by Ryuji and Yusuke as best they could. Ann, meanwhile, pushed past her own sorrow and chastised Arihara for his actions to drive his change of heart home.  
I returned home with just Futaba. I left Morgana with Haru for the night and asked Ryuji and Yusuke to make sure Ann and Makoto got home safely. I brought Futaba to Leblanc so she could go home with Boss, rather than be alone in the house until he got back. We got a message from Ann soon after, letting us know that Arihara had posted on the Phan-Site. He's apparently planning to pay back all the money he's swindled, like the Takases. Haru said that Morgana wanted to let Ann know he was happy she'd gotten the result she wanted. That seemed to lighten the mood in the group chat.  
Ann called me privately afterwards.  
"Can we talk?" she asked, sounding unusually timid. "It's fine if you can't."  
"No, no. I'm free. What's up?" In truth, I had a good idea what she wanted to talk about, but I wanted her to say it herself.  
"It's about Arihara. I guess seeing the posts about that guy reminded me of Kamoshida and how he had me and Shiho and all the other girls wrapped around his finger. And then it turned out that I haven't changed at all since then. He had no trouble putting his charms on me and-"  
"Ann," I interrupted. "You aren't pathetic. There was no way we could have predicted that his charms would be amplified to full-on mind control like that. I doubt any of us could have resisted if his powers had worked on guys as well. Well, maybe Yusuke could. That guy is an enigma."  
Ann giggled on the other end.  
"Even our genius hacker and hard-headed strategist were affected. But unlike them, you were strong enough to break free of his control and put him in his place."  
"Only because of Ryuji."  
"He may have given you the perspective you needed, but he didn't fight off Arihara's control. You did. And then, he couldn't regain control over you, not matter how hard he tried. That was all you. I think Suzui would be proud if she'd seen you today."  
Ann was definitely crying now. But, unlike the others earlier, these were happy tears. "Yeah. You're right. I wish I could tell her about it."  
"Why can't you?"  
"Huh? It's supposed to be a secret, right?"  
"Yeah, but if you know and trust someone well enough to be your confidant, I see no reason to keep it a secret from them. And Suzui seems trustworthy enough to let her in on our secret."  
"You sure?"  
"Positive. My interference _might_ have led to more than just Ms. Kawakami finding out I was a Phantom Thief."  
Ann started laughing. "You really can't help yourself when people are in trouble, can you?"  
"Neither can you, Ann."  
She was silent for a minute, but I could picture her surprised, slightly red face clearly. "Yeah! I'll tell Shiho all about it. Then, we can wait for Shido's change of heart together. Thanks. I'm glad you're our leader."  
"So am I. None of the rest of you could lead us to victory like I can."  
"Oh, wow. The ego. But seriously, thank you."


	14. 12/24, Saturday

After we beat Yaldabaoth, the rest of the team went home. Sae-san tried to get me to turn myself in so I could testify against Shido, but Akechi made a surprise return and turned himself in in my place, freeing me up to meet with Ms. Kawakami and spend the rest of Christmas Eve with her. She treated me to dinner, we bought a cake to eat at Leblanc, and we even held hands on the way. Despite the frigid cold, her hand was really warm. She seemed somewhat annoyed by how smooth I was with my retorts to almost everything she said, but she was definitely enjoying the attention.   
She said nothing at all about the earlier merging of the cognitive world and real world, despite the fact that I knew she was cheering us all on with everyone else, her voice being the loudest of them all. It seemed that no one but us Phantom Thieves remembered the confrontation, despite the fervour with which so many people supported us.   
Seeing as it was Christmas Eve, Boss had closed up early, allowing us to get inside and up to my room without much hassle. We talked for a while, about the year we'd had, how she was thankful to me for helping her with the Takases and for loving 'a useless teacher' like her. I reassured her that was wasn't useless. She smiled and told me that other students had been saying the same thing since she'd been able to fully commit herself to her teaching.   
Eventually, the topic of discussion moved in an unexpected direction.   
"It's the strangest thing. I feel like I already saw you today. I can't shake this feeling that something important happened and I just... forgot about it."   
"It did."   
"Huh?"   
"Something big did happen today."   
"It did?"   
"Yeah. It's probably for the best that everyone forgot though."   
"Except for you. And your friends?"   
"Yep."   
"Convenient."   
"If you don't watch your tone, I won't fill you in."   
"Ooh, so stern. You're such a natural master."   
I'm still not sure if she was joking or if she actually liked the way I spoke to her.   
I explained what happened with the Holy Grail and Yaldabaoth, the Velvet Room and the fake Igor. Everything.   
"A god? Seriously?" Her incredulity was clear in her tone. "Hmmm... Somehow, I get the strangest feeling you're being honest with me. Maybe I still remember on some level, or maybe I just trust you too much to say you're lying. You know I can't reject your claims, no matter how fantastical, because of how fantastical your methods are. I'd probably believe anything you told me about all this. So please don't make any of it up, okay?"   
"If I was going to lie, I wouldn't go that far with it."   
"That's probably true. And they do say that life is stranger than fiction. And this is certainly stranger than any fiction I've ever seen."   
"Tell me about it. Morgana can turn into a van."   
"A van?"   
"It's apparently a very common cognition."   
"Among whom?"   
I shrugged. I still can't wrap my head around it, all these months later.   
"Sounds like you guys have had a rough year."   
"It's not all bad. I made a lot of friends, inside and out of the Phantom Thieves. And, I found my first love."   
Ms. Kawakami took a moment to register that I meant her. "Wha? Me?"   
"You."   
"Geez... What a troublesome master."   
I chuckled. She did too.   
"Oh, wow!" she exclaimed suddenly. I looked to where she was pointing. Outside the window by my bed, we could see snow falling from the sky. Somehow, it felt like a reward from the universe for our defeat of Yaldabaoth. We sat in silence on my bed for a while, Kawakami's head resting on my shoulder.   
Eventually, I broke the silence with what seemed like the most natural question in the world in that one perfect moment. "Would you like to stay the night?"   
"I'd love to," she replied without a hint of embarrassment or hesitation. "But, um... could you... do me a favour?"   
"Sure. What is it?"   
"I want you... to call me Sadayo."   
"If that's what you want, Sadayo."   
Sadayo fell silent for a while before responding, her face bright red. "Geez, why can you just say that without any trouble?"   
"Should I have trouble saying the name of the woman I love?"   
She buried her face in her hands.


	15. 12/25, Sunday

"Oh, crap! We overslept!" Those were the words that woke me on Christmas Day. I smacked myself on the cheeks to wake myself up and figure out what was going on.   
"Don't worry about it," I replied casually, if groggily, hoping to instil some calmness in her, as often worked with my friends.   
"How? How can I be calm at a time like this? Aren't your friends coming over for Christmas?"   
"Yeah, but that's not for another hour yet."   
"Oh, good," she sighed deeply. "Even so, I should get dressed and go before anyone has even a chance of seeing me."   
"Good idea," I agreed, although reluctantly. It must have been obvious from my tone, since she turned back to me with a smile.   
"Aww, are you going to miss your girlfriend on Christmas?"   
"Of course," I replied earnestly, bringing the blush back to her cheeks.   
"I hate you sometimes," she grumbled, turning away.   
"And the rest of the time?" I asked with a smirk.   
She turned back to me again, smiling shyly. "Obviously, I love you those times."   
We kissed and I turned away to let her get changed. Even though we've been dating for five months now, she still isn't comfortable with me seeing her in her underwear. Even though I've seen her in swimwear on two different occasions. But, that bizarre shyness is one of the things I love most about her.   
Once she was done, we headed downstairs so I could see her off. "SURPRISE!" came a chorus of the entire Phantom Thieves group as we reached the bottom of the stairs, too late for Sadayo to disappear from sight.   
"Hey, man!" said Ryuji, leading the charge in my stead. "We came here an hour early to... surprise... you?" The silent reactions from Ryuji and the others were worrying at the time, but amusing in hindsight. Thinking back on them, I can't help but smile.   
"Ms. Kawakami?" Makoto asked in place our our speechless teammates. "What are you doing here?"   
"W-Well, he and I happened to bump into each other on the way home last night, since I live nearby, so he walked me home but I forgot my keys and couldn't get into my apartment, so he offered to let me stay here until I can get someone out to change the lock." I was surprised by her ability to come up with a decently-detailed excuse on the fly like that. I makes sense, of course, given her working a secretive second job for months.   
"I find that hard to believe," Yusuke replied flatly.   
"Woah! Even Inari saw through it," Futaba said with amazement.   
"What you you mean, ' _even_ me'?" He was less than thrilled by the implications.   
I took a deep breath. "Yes. Sadayo and I have been dating since the summer."   
My friends lets out gasps of varying volume. Ann's was probably the loudest. I worried that she might internally compare this to Kamoshida.   
Sadayo grabbed me by the arm and dragged me into whispering range, but her frantic tone made her whispering loud enough for the others to hear. "Idiot! Don't just come out and admit it!"   
"So it's true then," Makoto said in a disapproving tone.   
"A teacher and a student..." Ann mumbled. Yeah, she was definitely comparing this to Kamoshida.   
"So, wait, back when we ran into her at the beach, you two were already dating?" Ryuji asked, eliciting a look from the girls, since they hadn't been with us at the time.   
I nodded.   
"Damn, dude. How'd you keep that under wraps for so long? I'm impressed."   
"Ryuji!" Makoto chastised. "That's not the point here. He's been dating a teacher for months and none of us knew about it."   
"I knew," Futaba claimed casually.   
"You did?" I asked, concerned.   
"I have Leblanc wired, remember? I know all your dirty little secrets." She let out that evil chuckle she likes to use when she starts hacking.   
"Wired?" Sadayo asked, mirroring my concern.   
"And  _you_ didn't tell us either?" Makoto sounded hurt by the secrecy.   
"What? It's not like it was any of my business. Besides, I didn't know I wasn't misunderstanding the situation. I thought you guys were some weird group of furries talking about your fursonas early on."   
"What are furries?" Yusuke asked, concerned.   
"Not important," Makoto interrupted, keeping the conversation on-track. "And? What do you make of what you've heard?"   
"It sounded like they really love each other," Futaba replied earnestly. "The kinda love that makes you think, 'I gotta get me some of that,' y'know?"   
"Like you know anything about love," Ann snapped, growing more and more furious by the second.   
"Wait. So, when Ryuji asked if you'd ever want to get married last week..." Haru was sharp.  
"And you said yes, correct?" Yusuke recalled.  
"W-W-What!? M-Married?!"  
I pointed to Sadayo's adorably flustered expression. "This is why."  
"How did all of this happen though?" Makoto asked, seemingly calmer than she had been before.  
I looked to Sadayo, who was hesitant, but nodded her consent for me to tell the others everything that had happened. I explained everything about her 'cleaning job' and the Takases, though I left out the specifics of her having been a maid to spare her the embarrassment. The others seemed to be able to sympathise with Sadayo's experiences, given what they've been through themselves.  
"Damn, dude," said Ryuji. "I guess I can see how you'd fall for each other."  
"Indeed," Yusuke agreed. "I feel inspired." Whether he meant in his own love life or for an art piece, I'm not sure.  
Makoto, Futaba and Haru agreed as well. It was just Ann left to be convinced. She sighed. "It does seem genuine. I guess, it's okay, if you both really are in love. But let me make one thing clear," she said harshly, pointing a finger at Sadayo. "If you ever try to take advantage of him, we're going to change your heart like we did to Kamoshida. Understand?" It was rare to see Ann so serious like this. It was simultaneously sweet to know how fiercely she was looking out for me, but also concerning how she was threatening my girlfriend.  
"Y-Yes!" Sadayo exclaimed. It was like Ann was the teacher warning Sadayo the student. "I would never. He's helped me so much and been so kind to me, especially at a time when no one else would. I really do love him. I couldn't ask for a kinder, more caring master."  
Silence filled the cafe as we all realised what she'd just said. Again, I hadn't mentioned her being a maid. Maybe I should have.  
"MASTER!?" the group exclaimed.  
"Ooh, nice one, Joker," Futaba teased, though she probably already knew the details.  
Sadayo covered her crimson face with her hands and crouched down in shame.  
After we got the situation cleared up, Sadayo left us to our Christmas party and was gone before Boss and Sae-san arrived. It's a shame. I wonder what Boss might have thought about the whole thing. Still, it's probably for the best Sae-san doesn't know. I'll write about the party tomorrow, once I've gotten some rest.


	16. 1/8, Sunday

I've seen the new realities of all of my friends over the last week. Ryuji is still on the track team, Ann still has Suzui with her, Yusuke is living with a better Madarame, Makoro and Haru's fathers are still alive, same with Futaba's mother, Morgana is human and Akechi is alive and never killed anyone. It did seem like a better world all around. But something about it just seemed wrong. I couldn't quite explain it, though.   
Akechi dug up some of Maruki's history and told me about it over the phone. Then he asked if I was still in for putting a stop to this. Akechi would rather have the old reality restored, even though he knows he'll be dead. I wished I had that kind of conviction. I told him I needed time to think it over. He seemed disappointed to hear that. I guess, in spite of everything, Akechi had respected my determination during our time working together. I told him I'd let him know once I'd thought it over.   
Somehow, my mind kept going back to Sadayo during our conversation. Her perfect world has also become reality. Takase-kun never died, she never had to take on all those jobs to pay the Takases, and our relationship is not only public, but it's practically encouraged. After all the suffering she went through, it's her I'd feel the most guilty about if we put things back to how they were. I had to call her.   
"Oh, hey," she said once she picked up, sounding happier than I've ever heard her. "I was just thinking about you."   
"Yeah. Same."   
"Is everything alright? You sound a little down."   
"Yeah, yeah. Fine." Despite my efforts, I knew I wasn't very convincing. "Are you... happy, right now?"   
"Am I happy?" she repeated, as if the question was strange. "Sure, I guess? I'm not really sure I understand the question."   
"I mean, like, in general. Are you happy with how your life turned out?"   
"Why wouldn't I be? I'm living my dream of being a teacher my students can all turn to, and I've got a loving, supporting boyfriend that everyone approves of."   
"Yeah, but... I don't know how to explain."   
"What's wrong? You know you can trust me, right?"   
"I do, it's just... I don't know what to do."   
"Tell me about it then. Start at the beginning. Even if I can't help, just having someone to explain it to can help you lay everything out and reach your own conclusion."   
"Heh. You're right. What if you could... I dunno... make a person happy by changing the things that make them happy?"   
"Is this more of that Metaverse stuff? Sorry, I still don't really understand it, even after you told me, so I don't know how much help I can be. But, I do think it's wrong to force happiness on someone, no matter how you do it or how good your intentions are. Because what you think will make them happy might not actually make them happy."   
"But what if you can make them feel happy about it?"   
"Are they really happy if you force them to be? If what you guys do isn't brainwashing, this certainly would be. Even with the people who's hearts you changed, you guys didn't decide how they'd atone, right? You just opened their eyes to the suffering they'd cause from the perspective of their victims. How they chose to respond to that guilt and work towards being better people was on them. Without the crucial step they had to take themselves, could they ever really become better people?   
"Likewise, with making people happy. You gave me the strength to seize my own happiness and removed the roadblock that was preventing me from reaching out to it. But, would I really be happy if you'd just changed my heart to make me feel happy about what was going on, even if the Takases were still taking advantage of me? And how long would your influence over my heart last? Would I still be happy ten, twenty years down the road? Or, would I just end up back where I started? Or worse, with my ability to cope with such crushing sadness stifled by the coddling of your fake happiness?"   
I said nothing in response for a while. She must have gotten worried about that.   
"Sorry if I got a little heavy there. I probably went a little far for just a hypothetical."   
"No, no," I said, a smile spreading on my face as I imagined her arms flailing around. "You've just given me a lot to think about."   
"Oh, that's good to know. I'm glad I'm still proving valuable as your teacher." I could practically hear her smile.   
"And as my moral guide." I could practically hear her blush. "I don't think I could've made this choice without you, Sadayo."   
"Wait, this wasn't a hypothetical?"   
"Sorry for being dishonest about this. We're about to go up against... a guy who's been doing this since New Years, and I needed some guidance to decide how to deal with it."   
"And this is going to be a big thing, like Christmas Eve?"   
"It looks that way."   
"Okay. I trust you to do the right thing here. Just, promise you'll be okay. Promise you'll come back to me. And make sure you and I are still together. Okay?"   
I smiled. "I promise. I'll kick this guy's ass and then come back to you, Sadayo."   
She chuckled. "Go get 'em, Joker."   
I called Akechi right after. I apologised for letting my conviction waver. It's not going to happen again.


	17. 2/13, Monday

It's been a while since I wrote in this thing. We had our final fight with Dr. Maruki on the third and dismantled his so-called 'perfect world'. After that, reality reverted to the way it's supposed to be. As a result, Akechi wasn't there to turn himself in for me, so I did it straight after Christmas. I only just got out of prison today, thanks to the others tracking down the woman Shido was harassing last year and convincing her to testify.   
The others held a big welcome back party for me at Leblanc. Sumire was busy with gymnastics, but the others were there to welcome me back.   
Once the party was over and everyone went home, I called Sadayo over because I felt the need to confess what I'd taken away from her.   
"My perfect world, huh?" she said after I finished explaining everything. "That must've been nice, being able to be open about our relationship. And having Takase-kun still be alive."   
"Do you regret us changing things back?"   
Sadayo remained quiet for a moment as she considered her response. "No. No, I don't... think so. Of course, those two things would be ideal, but our entire relationship would've been built on a lie. We came together through our respective suffering. You were accused of assault and forcibly transferred here and I was held accountable for Takase-kun's death and made to pay off that fake debt. In a perfect world, neither of those things would've happened. So, what were we supposed to believe brought us together then? Whatever perfect, schmaltzy history we were given, it wouldn't be real. At least, that's what I think."   
"You're so mature."   
"You're the one who went up against a guy who could change reality and beat with your convictions as well as your fists or powers or whatever you guys use."   
"Only because I had you there to help me work things out."   
"It's good to know that I can be a reliable teacher in any reality." She beamed.   
"Was that ever in doubt?"   
"It was until you said that." She blushed.   
"I haven't seen you blush like this since Christmas. I've missed it."   
"Well, I've not missed this teasing."   
"Yes, you have."   
"Yes, I have. I really have. Because I've missed you."   
She let me kiss her to show how much I'd missed her.   
"That was magical," she said once the kiss ended.   
"Today isn't magical just yet. Now, Christmas Eve. That was magical."   
"It was. I'm glad the you in this reality didn't turn himself in before then."   
"Same. I'd hate for a moment like that to not be shared by us both."   
"We could always recreate it, just to be sure." Her tone was that rare suggestive one.   
"It's a shame there's no snow out."   
"The snow wasn't what made that night magical, dummy. Geez..."   
"I know.  _You_ were." I wrapped my arms around her and let the heat from her cheeks warm us both for the rest of the night.


	18. 3/15 Wednesday

Today was the graduation ceremony for the third years. Makoto and Haru are officially no longer Shujin students. We all met up on the roof afterwards for a more private celebration.   
"It's a shame we won't get to attend alongside you, Futaba-chan," Haru said, hugging her.   
"Y-Yeah," the younger girl replied, trying not to cry. "B-But I'll study real hard and make you guys proud!"   
"You guys don't gotta worry about her. She's got me an' Ann lookin' out for her."   
"That's not very reassuring, Ryuji," said Ann herself.   
"Just this once, can you not?"   
The mood was lightened by this exchange.   
"Congratulations, Senpai," I said to the two. Both seemed happy to hear that from me.   
"It's not just us though," Makoto noted. "You're going home for your third year. You've technically graduated from Shujin too."   
Ryuji wrapped an arm around my neck. "Yeah, who'd've thought this guy'd actually be able to get through the year without gettin' kicked out?"   
"Ryuji!" Ann chastised.   
"What? I'm just sayin', the teachers really had it in for 'im back in April. Especially Kamoshida 'n' Kobayakawa. We almost did get kicked out back then."   
"But we overcame that crisis by working together," I added. "Thanks for your help back then, Ann."   
She blushed at the praise. "Th-Thanks. You, too. I couldn't have fought back against Kamoshida without you guys."   
"Hey, what about me?" Morgana demanded as his head popped out of my bag.   
"You're really gonna butt in on Ann's spotlight?" Ryuji said in a tone that suggested he knew he had Morgana beat.   
"I... I don't...Mmm..." Morgana retreated into my bag and we all laughed.   
"That guy is a mega simp," Futaba noted.   
"Getting back to the earlier point," Yusuke interrupted, "I, too, would like to thank you all again for helping to open my eyes to the abuse I was suffering under, and to find the inner strength to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves."   
"I feel the same way," Haru added.   
"I think we all do," Futaba chimed in. "And I don't need to have you guys bugged to know that. Mwehehe."   
"You don't, though, right?" Ann asked, voicing our collective concern, but received no answer.   
"Concerning addendum aside," said Makoto, "it is true that we all owe you guys a lot. Especially you," she added, turning to me. You saw us through thick and thin, and you were always there to listen to our problems and help us through them."   
The others nodded in agreement. I scratched my cheek in embarrassment.   
"Come on, guys. I couldn't have done it without you. You're the ones who had the strength to persevere through everything holding you down. And you also helped me with my own emancipation. You were there to help me with Shido's shadow, remember?"   
Futaba expressed her surprise in her usual unusual way. "Even though it turned into the final boss of Metal Gear Rising?"   
"Even then. Even setting aside how they all abandoned me after the allegations, none of my 'friends' from back home even compare to you guys. None of them were as reliable as Ryuji, as faithful as Morgana, as strong as Ann, as unique as Yusuke, as caring as Makoto, as smart as Futaba, as kind as Haru, or as dedicated as Sumire. I..." I couldn't stop the tears from flowing now. And neither could the others. "I'm really gonna miss you guys."   
Ann was the first to step closer and hug me. Then, Futaba and Haru. And then the others. I wish I didn't have to go home next week.


	19. 3/19, Sunday

I spent Sunday dropping in on everyone who's supported me this past year. Phantom Thieves and confidants alike. It's reassuring to know they'll be okay once I leave. But saying goodbye to Sadayo was the most difficult part of the day.  
I felt a strange sense of sorrow as I walked down the street towards the school entrance for possibly the final time. Looking back, I'd never have thought that I'd end up missing this place, given how thing started. Looked down on by the principal, by my homeroom teacher, suspected by my teachers, feared by my peers, threatened by Komoshida. But, it's also here that I made so many friends, formed a team and found a purpose in helping those who struggle under oppressive systems, as I had. And, of course, it's where I met the woman I would come to love most in the whole world.  
She stood at the school gate, waiting for my arrival since I texted her on the train ride over. She was here for some teacher duty or other, likely prepping for the new semester. It's a shame I won't be here for third year with Ann and Ryuji, or seeing Futaba on her first day of high school.  
Sadayo took me up to the roof. We were spotted by Ms. Chouno on the way up, but Sadayo was quick to justify it as her showing her student around the school one final time. Ms. Chouno seemed to buy it and find even more respect for Sadayo's dedication to her job.  
"I'd ask if you wanted to visit the staff room and say goodbye to the other teachers, but probably not, hm?" Ms. Chouno joked. It seems her attitude towards me has changed as much over the last year as her attitude towards Sadayo has. I gave a good-natured confirmation of her suspicion and we departed on good terms.  
Once we were on the roof, Sadayo locked the door behind us while I took in Haru's final batch of plants. She's apparently passed this duty off to an underclassman, whom Haru helped to plant this batch. It looks like they'll be in good hands with her.  
"You're going back home tomorrow, right?" That was the first thing Sadayo said upon locking the door and giving us a private place to discuss our future.  
I was dreading having to have this conversation, but it wouldn't be right to not discuss it with her. I needed to be a man and face reality.  
"Make sure you keep up your studies there, okay?" she said, sounding a little unsure of herself. I think she was also trying to put off having to have the talk. For the time being, I let the topic of school continue.  
"I don't think I can," I said jokingly.  
She smiled in a trusting way and warmly said, "You'll do just fine. But let me know if there's anything you need."  
"I will. Thanks for everything."  
"Hey, what's with this tone of finality? It's not like we'll never see each other again. You think I'm going to let you get away with stealing my heart and just running away, like some thief in the night? I'll chase you to the ends of the Earth if I have to."  
"I wouldn't expect anything less from such a dutiful maid."  
" _Former_ maid," she corrected. "I'm 100% teacher now, thanks to you. And even in all these months we've spent together, I still don't feel like I've adequately thanked you for that."  
"You have, trust me. You've done so much for me as my teacher, my maid, my confidant, and my girlfriend. If anything, I'm the one who's falling behind here. It was probably selfish of me to enter a relationship with anyone, knowing I'll be going home without them."  
She nodded. "Mm-hm. Entirely selfish. But, after everything you've done for others over this past year, myself included, you deserve to be a little selfish."  
"Do you... Do you regret it? Getting together with me?"  
Sadayo smiled in a semi-annoyed way, as if to say her answer should be obvious, and ran a hand through my messy hair. "Of course I don't. Even putting aside how you saved me from an existence that could barely be considered a life, you've taught me so much about myself and my students, and helped me grow as a teacher, and you've taken me to so many wonderful places. White Day alone has made this whole thing worth it, you smooth player, you."  
"But, are you okay with a long-distance relationship?"  
She put her hands on her hips and fixed me with an agitated look. "We have phones. We have texts and calls and video chat. There are so many ways we can still see and hear each other while we're apart. Sure, I'll miss being able to hold you, but we can always talk, and we can still visit each other from time-to-time. And, hey, I won't have to worry about the cost of travel, because the Takases' reparations have started coming in lately, so I'm not going to be lacking in funds."  
I couldn't help but laugh at that last remark. She joined in too. I think her laugh and her smile are what I'll miss the most about her. Sure, I'll be able to see her smile and hear her laugh over the phone, but it's not the same as actually being in her presence and experiencing in-person how happy this wonderful woman truly is.  
"You're right," I said, grinning like a madman. "And your visits will give me something to look forward to."  
"See? We can make this work. And honestly, hearing that gives me peace of mind. Oh, but do you know what'll make you look forward to those visits even more? I've got a present for you."  
She took my hand in hers and placed something into it. It was a small coupon-like piece of paper with the words "Unlimited Service" printed on it. It looked like it was an official coupon from Victoria.  
"It sounds like the setup to a joke: a student bumps into his teacher in a full French maid outfit," she giggled. "But somehow, that opened up all kinds of new paths in my life. You taught me so much. You're not just my best student. You were a great master."  
" _Were_?" I chuckled.  
Her cheeks reddened. "Fine. You _are_ a great master. There. Are you happy?"  
"Happier that you can imagine."  
She sighed. "I've created a monster."  
"Two letters off. B-. See me after class."  
"Oh, you wanna talk about grades, huh? What about that last pop quiz, huh? I noticed you were looking at me a lot during that. Is that why your grade slipped to a-"  
"Okay, okay, I get the picture! I just don't find the material as interesting to focus on as you."  
"Is that so? I'll have to see some evidence of this. I'll be expecting reports on all your grades each time I visit. If I don't see an improvement, then I'll know you were slacking off and not just distracted by my divine beauty."  
"'Divine' is underselling it."  
"Mm-hm! Good to see one last correct answer from you before you leave."  
Morgana gagged inside my bag, attracting Sadayo's attention. She smiled as she poked a finger inside, jabbing him in the face, if his feline shriek was anything to go by.  
"Hey, watch where you point that finger, lady!" Morgana protested as his head poked out of the gap in the zipper.  
Sadayo smiled and stroked his forehead and scratched behind his ear, which placated him. "You look after him back home, Mona, okay?"  
"S-Sure," he said, enamoured. "I can d-do that." I hesitate to ponder how suggestible he might become if Ann ever did that to him.  
I pushed his head to get him back in the bag before zipping it back up.  
Sadayo giggled. "And don't you worry about me. I can make up for all the times I distanced myself from my students, thanks to you. I'll help anyone who needs it, just like you guys. I learned a lot from you, and I won't let that go to waste." She pumped her fist with determination.  
I couldn't hold myself back anymore and wrapped my arms around her. She stiffened up, maybe on reflex out of worry that someone might see, before relaxing and wrapping her own arms around me in turn.  
"I love you, Sadayo," I said, barely able to hold back my tears.  
"I love you too," she replied, not able to hold back her own. "It... It sure has been a crazy year, huh? Back in April, I never would've imagined I'd ever say that to one of my students. Though, I guess you aren't my student anymore, huh? I just hope I've been able to help prepare you for the real world in some way."  
"Now who's talking with finality? You may not be my teacher anymore, but I've still got plenty to learn from you, and plenty of time to learn it. Your job as a teacher isn't over yet."  
"Yeah. Then, I guess I'd better start on my lesson plan when I get home."  
"I'm looking forward to it... Sensei."  
We couldn't talk after that. For quite a while, all we could do was cry.  
Eventually, we both calmed down and Sadayo tried to regain control of the situation. "You, uh... You try to be a little more diligent with school once you're home, okay?" I really will be expecting reports when I visit."  
"Okay" was all I could say in return.  
"Wow, so obedient," she said jokingly.  
"I learned from the best," I said with a sly grin.  
"I'm glad you have been of service, Master. God, you've created a monster too..."  
"A perfect monster."  
"I'd say the same of you, but that would be two letters off, and I have to set a good example for my students."  
I chuckled. Then, I leaned in and kissed her. She kissed me back. It was the last one we're going to have in quite a while, so we were sure to make it count. Once it was over, we made our way over to the door back inside.  
"This year has felt so fulfilling," Sadayo said with a smile that broke through her sadness. "I had to take care of you sometimes, but I also learned from you. It wasn't even for that long, if you think about it, but you're my student and my master. No matter where you are, no matter how long it takes, you'll always have me. Take care. If you ever need me, just say the word, and I'm there."  
"You too. I'll always be there for you if you need me."  
She smiled one final time. The sadness was harder for her to suppress, but her faith in me broke through, regardless. "I know. You always have been."


	20. 3/20, Monday

This was the day of my return home.   
I went downstairs and said goodbye to Sojiro and Futaba. After that, I called up my parents on the public phone to let them know I was on my way. I asked who'd be picking me up from the station, but Dad said they were too busy with work to pick me up, so I'd be making my own way back.   
Hearing this, frustration that I hadn't realised had been building over the last year reached a boiling point.   
"I've had some time to think about it, and I've realised something. I'm not coming home." Futaba gasped and so did Mom. Dad demanded clarification. "I've been here for almost a year and I didn't get a single letter or call or text from you guys. You didn't do everything you could to fight my bogus charges. You just shipped my off to Yongen because I was inconvenient. Well, I'm going to make this  _really_ inconvenient for you now. I'm not coming home unless you come and pick me up your goddamn self!"   
I slammed the phone down and then realised that Sojiro hadn't agreed to let me stay yet.   
"Th-That is, if you'll let me stay, of course."   
Sojiro chuckled. "Why is this even a question? Of course, you can stay."   
"You're staying!?" Futaba was ecstatic. "Alright! You can see my in my Shujin uniform- Oh! We can walk to school together! This is gonna be  _awesome!_ " Her enthusiasm was infectious. Sojiro, Morgana and I joined in on the laughter.   
"One last act of defiance from our leader?" Morgana said with pride. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Joker."   
The others were just as shocked and happy to learn I was staying. They'd picked up a minivan about the size of Morgana's bus form and planned to take me for one last drive around before I headed off.  They even managed to get Sumire away from practice to join us one last time.  Despite scuttling their plans, they were happier with this outcome.  
A couple of government agents in a black car thought they were being sneaky while they spied on us. Morgana stole a spark plug from their car and gave us a strong headstart.  
Once we lost our pursuers, Makoto brought the van back around. I had to drop in to see Sadayo again. She pulled up just outside her apartment and I knocked on the door.  
Her eyes went wide as she opened the door and saw me standing there. "Wait, I thought you were going home today."  
"What are you talking about? I  _am_ home."  
"Wh- D-Don't just open with that kind of stuff! You know I can't deal with it. And in front of all your friends too..."  
The others didn't mind. In fact, they cheered when I kissed her.  
"Wait, Senpai and Ms. Kawakami are dating!?" Sumire exclaimed.


End file.
